St. Augustine Highland Games

St. Augustine's Celebration of Celtic Heritage Continues

The Celtic Music and Heritage Festival retired in 2026, after creating a much-loved event for 15 years.

The new St. Augustine Celtic Festival and Highland Games continues the tradition with a one-day event at Francis Field on Saturday, March 13, 2027. The Highland Games have long been a popular highlight of St. Augustine's Celtic Festival at Francis Field, and the new organizers plan on hosting the Highland Games, a St. Patrick's parade, and a small festival. 

Scottish Highland Games are traced back to King of Scots Malcolm III, who summoned contestants to a footrace to find the fastest runner in the land to serve as royal messenger. Over the centuries, Highland Games events have expanded to include piping, drumming, dancing competitions, musical entertainment, and exhibits celebrating Scottish and Gaelic culture.

Today's Highland Games feature impressive kilted athletes challenging one another in traditional Scottish heavy athletics and strength competitions, including the weight throw, Scottish hammer throw, stone put, and the always entertaining caber toss, which involves tossing a long, tapered pine log or pole end-over-end. Each year, thousands of fans from Florida and Georgia attend the games in St. Augustine. For the past 15 years, these games have drawn elite athletes to compete in the sanctioned event featuring all the heavy traditional Scottish disciplines, including the Caber Toss, Sheaf Toss, and heavy stone puts.

Highland Games Information

The Foundation for Scottish Athletics has long directed the Highland Games in St. Augustine, and that organization is working to ensure the events continue. The Highland Games will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2027. All participating athletes are invited to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade before the games. We do not yet know the competitive events, times, or registration details for the 2027 games.

The Competition in 2026

Events in 2026

• Open Stone Put (16 lb. thrown for distance, any style)
• Braemer Stone Throw
• 56 lb. Weight for Distance
• 28 lb. Weight for Distance
• Caber Toss (The cabers are sized by class.)
• Sheaf Toss (16 lb. burlap bag tossed with a pitchfork for height.)
• 56 lb. Weight for Height

Classes of Competition in 2026

• Men's Open
• Women's Open
• Masters Men Aged 40-49
• Masters Men Aged 40-59
• Women's Masters
• Senior Masters Men Aged 60 plus
• Lightweight Men

Event Details

Admission: We don't yet know the ticket prices or competition entry fees.

When: Saturday, March 13, 2027, at a time to be determined.

Where: Francis Field, 25 W. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

This event is part of the St. Augustine Celtic Festival and Highland Games, organized by the Foundation for Scottish Athletics and a group of active volunteers from St. Augustine. The organization's website is transparent about the process of building a new Celtic Festival for the future, complete with Highland Games, a parade, and a one-day festival with vendors and live music. The St. Augustine Celtic Festival and Highland Games organization welcomes donations and volunteers.